重点难点提示
1. Some people got into a total panic... 有些人陷入一片恐慌之中……
　panic n./v. 注意用法与比较：
　　1) n. At the approach of the fierce dinosaur the crowd fled in (a) panic.
　　看到那凶猛的恐龙走近时，人们惊恐万分地逃窜。
　　The fire warning caused a panic in the supermarket.　火警在超市中引起一片恐慌。
　　2) v. If we were to panic we would not be able to help.
　　如果我们惊恐害怕的话，就帮不了任何忙。
　　Don't panic in time of danger.　危险时刻不要惊慌失策。
　　The children panicked when they realized they were lost.
　　当孩子们意识到迷路时惊慌万分。
　　Stop panicking. 别慌！
　　3) 动词在词尾变化时，要加k，如上面例子。但第三人称单数不加k：
　　She never panics.　她从不慌乱。
　　偶也作v.t.，只有主动式：
　　The thunder panicked the horses.　响雷使马群慌乱一片。
　　但Hearing the thunder, the kid panicked.

2. ...at such a distance we couldn't tell which one,...
　在那样的距离，我们分不清是哪一座……
　　distance前置不同介词，意义不同：
　　The picture looks better at a (some) distance.　这幅画隔一段距离看好些。
　　There were some fruit trees at a distance from his home.
　　他家不远处有些果树。
　　The tower can be easily seen at a distance of 10 kilometers.
　　这座塔10公里之外都能看得见。
　　I made out three figures moving in the distance.
　　我看清在远处有三个人影在移动。
　　The hills in the distance were purple.　远方的山丘是紫色的。

3. The sight of it awoke the scientist in my uncle to go and see it from closer at hand.
　这景象唤醒了我叔叔的科学精神，他要去近处看个究竟。
　(1) 该句直译是“唤醒了我叔叔心中的科学家……”，类似的例子：
　　The lady's diamond necklace awoke the devil in the young man. He choked her and took it away.
　　那太太的钻石项链唤起那年轻人的恶念（直译：唤醒了那年轻人心中的恶魔），他掐死那女人，拿走了项链。
　(2) at hand在近处，可指时间或空间：
　　1) 空间：
　　The post office is close at hand.　邮局就在附近。
　　When he writes, he always keeps a dictionary at hand.
　　他写作时，手边总是有本辞典。
　　2) 时间：
　　The examinations are at hand.　快要考试了。
　　Eddy, full of courage, felt the battle close at hand.
　　埃迪满怀勇气地感到战斗快要打响了。
　(3) from这个介词较为特殊，除了可接名词、代词、动名词作介词宾语，还可接副词，另一个介词等，见以下例子：
　　A bike came along from behind me.
　　I heard them calling me from far away.
　　I took my watch from under the pillow.
　　He climbed up the tall tree from where he could see farther away.

4. What started out as a trip for knowledge called for courage.
　一开始作为寻求知识的旅行现在需要勇气了。
　call for：
　　1) 要求，需要：
　　Success in school calls for much hard work.
　　The disease calls for careful treatment.
　　2) 来取，来要（物）：
　　We called for the packages at the post office.
　　We entered the bar and called for beers.
　　The man has called for the rent.
　　3) 邀约，来找（某人）：
　　I'll call for you at your house.
　　He called for me at nine last night, and we went to the night club together.

5. Ash and bits of rock that were burnt black were falling onto the ship now, darker and more, the closer they went.
　灰尘与烧黑的石块落到船上。他们越靠近，周围越黑，石块落下越多。
　　后半句是the more...the more...结构，省略一个the，又例：
　　The less she worried the better she worked. = She worked better the less she worried.
　　她越少担心，工作做得越好。
　　The higher the velocity of steam, the greater (is) the turbine speed.
　　The turbine speed is greater the higher the velocity of steam is.
　　蒸汽速度越高，汽轮机转得越快。
　　the more...the more...结构中，第一个the more...是从句。倘若主句放在前面时，就要恢复正常语序，比较级后置省去the。

6. Upon arrival, my uncle hugged Pompy and tried to give him courage.
　一到，我叔叔就紧紧拥抱庞比，想要鼓起他的勇气。
　　upon/on 在这里意为一……，一当……，又如：
　　Upon arrival, they went in search of a hotel.　他们一到就去找宾馆。
　　The students stood up on/upon the entrance of the headmaster.
　　校长一进来学生们就起立。
　　On/Upon arriving at the railway station, he found the train gone.
　　I shall write to Max on hearing from you.

7. There were earthquakes and a rain of burning rocks was coming down.
　大地在震动，炙热的岩石如雨点般落下来。
　　该句中的a rain of起的是量词的作用，表示burning rocks的数量之多。
　　下文中的the shower of rocks起得也是同样的作用。

8. He looked more asleep than dead.　他看上去像睡着了，而不是死去。
　(1) more...than...在这句中有“与其说……不如说……”之意：
　　She was more sad than angry when her son lied again.
　　当她儿子再次说谎时，她不是生气而是伤心之极。
　(2) more than也有类似用法，注意译文：
　　He is more than a teacher. He is our close friend.
　　他不止是老师，他是我们的知心朋友。
　　I was more than pleased with my pay rise. I was over the moon!
　　我对涨工资高兴极了，简直乐上了天。

9. You can pick out the important bits, for it is one thing to write a letter, another to write history, one thing to write to a friend, another to write for the public.
　你可以从中挑选重要的片段。写信跟写历史是两码事，写信时给朋友的，而书则是为公众写的。
　　注意该句中有一个重要的句型："It is one thing to do..., another to do..."，它的意思是“……是一回事，……又是一回事”。例如：
　　It is one thing for you to stay here, another for me to ask you to stay here.
　　你要留下是一回事，我请你留下是另外一回事。

10. There's some dirty weather knocking about.　坏天气正在袭来。
　knock about/around　指存在在周围但你又不知何时出现。
　　I think a snow storm is knocking about/around, though there's no sign yet.
　　我认为有一场暴风雪会降临，虽然现在还没预兆。

11. She's done for,... 　船完蛋了。
　　do for 使完蛋（失败了）
　　Last night's hurricane did for my new house.
　　His corruption in "Oil for food" will do for his father's future.
　　他在“石油换食品”行动中的腐败行为会断送他父亲的前程。
　　常用被动式：
　　If he fails that test, he is done for.
　　At the end of a long day, I'm just about done for.

12. He listened for the first sounds of returning wind.　他留心去听台风来的前奏。
　listen for 留心去听，等着听：
　　The boys are listening for the bell at the end of class.
　　Listen for the telephone ring.

13. The hurricane, with its power to sink ships and to destroy strong walls, had found this little ship in its path.
　 一股具有沉船破墙威力的飓风一路扑向小船。
　　注意find, see等的拟人用法，又例：
　　The bullet found its mark.　子弹打中了目标。
　　The small town has seen better days.　这个小镇曾经繁华过。
　　Dawn found the little match girl lying on the ground dead.
　　黎明时发现那卖火柴的女孩躺在地上死了。